PlantFiles: Liverleaf, Liverwort, Roundlobe Hepatica
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

I saw this plant recently on a camping trip in Northern Alabama. It was growing up the hill from the banks of a dry rocky creek among Oakleaf Hydrangea, native laceleaf hydrangea, native azaleas and Wild Evergreen Ginger. In fact, I first thought it was some mutant of the ginger. But then I recalled this in the woods of East Tennessee, where I grew up.

I now live much further south than this so I'm not sure it grows in my region of Southern Alabama. Although the hydrangeas and azaleas do.

The park ranger said that the creek has been dry for 3 years due to long and harsh drought and when it did run it was only in the winter months. He said rain has been very infrequent there for some time. From what I saw, the little plant was not suffering under these conditions.

Can grow in most woodland conditions, self sows under certain conditons (meaning some patches will sow seeds while others won't, could be fertility?). Seedlings form one true leaf. I prefer to wait two years before transplant them due to their tiny size and their slow growth rate.

Rare in this area. I've only seen it in a protected coastal climax forest called Flag Ponds Nature Area on the Chesapeake Bay.

We know the plant as Liverwort, purportedly for its traditional value as a medicinal herb for liver ailments. Its foliage is even more striking than its flower, which, for me, blooms in hues of pale blue and lavender. The foliage is glossy and semi-evergreen in patches of purple on a dark-green background. It grows well, but sparsely, on a sandy mound in an upstate New York oak and beech forest.

Beautiful little native plant producing masses of flowers in early spring (April-May in Southern Ontario) before leaves appear.

Blooms may be blue, white or pink.

Maybe propogated from seed if seed is collected as soon as it is ripe and sown in a sandy compost. Will need bottom heat to germinate. The seed would be just ripe when the seed case (pod) began to split open, and should be sown within 3 days of that point.

Hard to find, but well worth the effort. Excellent for rock gardens, semi-shade, woodland settings.

This is pretty common, native woodland plant in Finland. It blooms early in spring, with lovely blue flowers. Hepatica nobilis flore plena is a mutation, which has very attractive double-flowers. it sometime appears wild in nature too, but they are very rare. H. nobilis f. rosea has reddish flowers.